shine no matter where you are
by halcyon epochs
Summary: A tragic tale of love, deceit, and an unfortunate end. Lily and James navigate through blossoming love and people who want to tear them apart. Jily Swan Lake!AU, warning for implied suicide.


**Writing Club**

Disney Challenge - The Genie - Write about someone being trapped.

Book Club - Tom Cullen - (word) childlike, (word) moon, (time) nighttime

Showtime - 19. Finale - (word) Wicked

Days of the Month - Ballet Day - Write a fic inspired by Swan Lake/the Swan Princess

Count Your Buttons - (song) A Matter of Trust -Billy Joel

Lyric Alley - 20. The weight's off my shoulders

Liza's Loves - Ballet Ruse - Write a swan lake AU

 **Other Challenges**

Serpent Day - 39. Lancehead - (word) hollow

Insane House Challenge - 541. Being smitten by someone beautiful

* * *

 **Trigger warning for implied suicide.**

* * *

"You do realize that my hair is flawless compared to yours." Sirius smooths back his silky black locks and glares at James's untidy hair. "Yours, however, is a right shame."

"Sod off." James gives him a playful shove. "At least I'm not a braggart."

"That could be disputed," Remus points out sagely. "Sirius may be a braggart, but you are arrogant. They go hand-in-hand."

James opens his mouth hotly to protest, but the door to his room and Queen Euphemia sticks her head in. "Are you boys having fun?"

"We're fine, Mum," James groans. "You don't have to keep checking on us every five minutes."

"Well, I'm sorry for being such a nuisance, then," says Euphemia dryly. "It's not like I have any significant news to share concerning our kingdom. I suppose your birthday gathering is more important."

James rolls his eyes. "Okay, what's the news? If it's another festival again–"

"As a matter-of-fact, it's not, though I'm sure your father would love to hear about your displeasure with our endorsements." Euphemia sends a disapproving look at her son, who has the decency to look ashamed. "It's actually a matter involving you. You and your future, per se."

"What is it?"

"We're hosting a ball tomorrow evening to determine your future bride."

 _"What?!"_ James chokes, caught completely off-guard. "My _bride?_ Mum, I just turned eighteen! I'm not ready to get _married!"_

"Yes, you are," says Euphemia in tone that leaves no room for argument. "Most boys your age have already been wed. You have been granted liberties that most children don't have, because they aren't as privileged. I have tolerated your tomfoolery for many years, but it's time to stop those childlike antics and behave like the heir of the throne. And one the first steps is to settle down with a woman."

James is effectively stymied, but his face is painted with uncertainty. Euphemia sighs, rubbing her temples.

Sirius finally takes pity on his friend. In an attempt to boost his friend's spirits, he says, "Look, mate!" He points to the window and the darkened sky beyond. "The swans are out!"

This quickly uplifts James's mood. "Really?" He glances out of the window. At that precise moment, a flock of swans fly past the moon, illuminating their silhouettes. "Brilliant! Let's go hunting! I could use something to get my mind off of this marriage business."

Euphemia rolls her eyes affectionately.

* * *

"Why did Remus decline, anyway?" Sirius questions.

James shrugs. "He's a scholar. He may have a brain in his head, but not an ounce of courage in his body."

"True," the other boy agrees. "Look, the lake is up ahead!"

"Excellent," whispers James. "You head around the left side and see if there's any game. I'll scour the banks."

"All right." With a plan in mind, the two boys split up. James creeps towards the lake warily, making sure to step lightly. He didn't want to scare off any prey.

A flock of swans descend noiselessly beside the small lake. James contains his shout of victory; he cannot believe his luck.

 _Jackpot._

He loads his crossbow, steps out into a clearing, and aims it towards the swans, preparing to shoot.

He pulls the arrow back, and that's when _it_ happens.

* * *

A weightless breeze swirls around her body. She shuts her eyes as her body shifts forms, altering her swan features to the ones of a teenage girl. Thankfully, the process isn't painful, but rather rejuvenating.

She opens her eyes again. Her vision is much clearer and she is much taller. Her skin is smooth and she feels younger than before.

And then, her eyes latch onto _him._

 _Him,_ with untamed ebony locks and brilliant hazel eyes. _Him,_ who cuts an impressive figure against the blackness of the night. _Him,_ who is lithe and handsome and has an arrow pointed towards her—

"Stop!"

* * *

James gapes at her, bathed in the moon's light and looking like Aphrodite herself. Her eyes smolder with the fierceness of a thousand demons and her hair is a orange in the light of the moon, giving the illusion of fire streaming from her head.

 _Is this real?_ he asks himself. _Is_ she _real?_

"Put down the crossbow," she commands firmly. James, too awestruck, slackens his grip and the bow falls from his hands. He barely notices.

"Who are you?" he asks the ethereal swan-turned-girl.

The girl's expression softens. "Lily," she says politely. "And you are?"

"I'm James." In his daze, he neglects to mention his rank.

Lily smiles and angels sing in his ears. "I would say it's nice to meet you, James, but you did just try to shoot me and my friends."

Her sardonic remark jars James out of his trance. He bristles. "I'm sorry, but how was I supposed to know you were going to turn into a human?" he challenges.

"Fair enough, but if you want to know why, I'll tell you."

James's eyes dart cursorily around the clearing. He sees no sign of Sirius, nor hears his footsteps.

"Go ahead." He sits comfortably in the grass, anticipating a lengthy story, but Lily continues to stand.

"It's not a long story," she says. "Simply put, the wicked sorcerer Tom Riddle cursed me and my comrades and trapped us in swans' bodies. We only emerge from them at night, but during the daytime we are forced to live as swans."

James swallows, his throat dry as he listens to Lily's confession. Sure, he's heard legends of dark sorcerers and the suffering they inflict, but legends are fiction; they do not exist. And yet, in matter of moments, this woman has proven these storytellers false.

He feels sorry for the girl. He, having an opulent upbringing, could not fathom having to be swan for the rest of his life.

But as he has learned from the legends, the hero has always triumphed by finding a loophole in the antagonist's plan. So, he figures, this is not that far from those legends, so there must be a solution of sorts.

"Is there any way to break the spell?" he asks.

Lily nods. "Yes, there is. In order to break the spell, someone has to pledge their undying love for me," Lily says, her voice heavy. "And unfortunately. there's a time limit on this curse. If the spell isn't broken soon, I'll forever remain a swan and so will my companions."

James's eyebrows shoot up. "So wait, if you don't make someone fall in love with you, it's all over?"

"Yes, sadly."

"Well." James gets to his feet angrily. "I'm going to find this bastard of a sorcerer and throttle him until he turns purple and dies."

Lily laughs hollowly. "I wish it were that easy, or I would've done it myself," she says ruefully. "This spell has many twists. You can't kill the sorcerer, otherwise the spell will never be undone."

"Wow. This sorcerer made sure there were no loopholes."

"I know."

"Well, while I'm here, I might as well give a beautiful maiden like you some company," he offers.

"Aren't you on a hunting trip?"

"Yeah, but my friend can manage on his own." James sits back down and pats the patch of grass next to him invitingly. "May I?"

"Of course." She plops down next to him.

* * *

As the night wanes, Lily and James converse about anything that comes to mind. He learns more about her past, and with each tidbit he learns, he falls a little more in love with her. He revels in her beauty all night long, and the little things she does, like toy with her hair and fold her hands in her lap.

In return, he admits to her his royal status. She looks alarmed at first, but then takes in stride, and his love for her blossoms even more with her acceptance. It shows that she's willing to embrace his title, which means she also must be falling with him.

Finally, the new day dawns and along with it comes the spell. They bid each other goodbye and James departs, but not without one last message from James, minutes before the spell returns.

"There's a ball being held at the palace tonight in my honor," he informs her. "Will you be my guest and join me?"

Lily bites her lip, looking uncertain. She wants to come so badly, but there are personal costs involved. "I don't think I can," she says. "The spell completes itself tonight."

James looks startled. "Tonight?" he practically shouts. "You didn't tell me that!"

"I couldn't bring myself," she says mournfully. "We were having such a good time together, and you looked so happy, so I didn't want to spoil your mood."

James presses his lips together in an effort to not confess his love for her right then and there. Something tells him it's not quite the right time.

 _But the curse will_ _be lifted!_ he argues.

 _Yes, but you need to wait,_ insists his stubborn side.

"So is that a no?" he asks.

"Yes and no," she answers evasively. "I suppose we'll have to see."

She looks so worried, he desires to relieve her of her suffering. But there isn't much time left until she transforms back into a swan.

So he keeps silent, but little does he know, that will be the worst mistake he's ever made.

* * *

James's attention is anywhere but on the eligible princesses presenting themselves in front of him. His eyes are locked on door and he's wondering if _she_ will come. _If_ she does, he doesn't want to miss her entrance.

As if she can read his mind, the doors opened and _she_ walks in, and James's breath and heart is stolen. She looks like nothing and everything on Earth, like all things beautiful and magnificent. She seems like a swan, ironically, poised and graceful.

"Isn't she lovely?" Euphemia murmurs to James, who says dreamily, "She's amazing."

Then, much to his embarrassment, he realizes he and his mother are referring to different women. While his attention is on Lily, his mother is focused on the princess in front of them.

She isn't a princess, but she joins the line of eager princesses hoping to win the prince's heart. However, his heart already belongs to someone, and she hasn't even presented herself yet.

James waits impatiently as one-by-one the princesses futilely attempt to seduce him and fail, and he has to turn them down as gently as possible.

And then it's her turn, and she curtsies and begins to speak. James is too absorbed in watching her, so he doesn't hear what she has to say.

Then next thing he knows, he asks her to dance and the royal orchestra starts a mellifluous melody. He leads Lily through the ballroom, waltzing blissfully with her, and ignoring the voices in his ears.

 _She's not Lily,_ Lily's voice says. _She's tricking you._

He disregards the whispers, but they persist.

 _Her intentions aren't good. It's a trap. She's trying to ensnare you._

He pushes them away.

"Lily, will you be my bride?" he questions loudly, so the whole room can hear.

And then Lily flickers in front of his eyes and a new vision materializes, which only he can see. Lily, pearly tears rolling down her cheeks and her eyes cast down at the lake.

 _"No,"_ he whispers as a revelation slams into him like a storm. He has been deceived, he has betrayed his love, which classifies as a heinous crime in his book. Lily doesn't deserve him, his gullible, unfaithful self.

And he flees the ballroom.

* * *

"Lily, my love," James pants as he arrives at the lake and sees her standing on an old, dilapidated bridge. "I am terribly sorry."

"You betrayed me," she sobs. "How am I supposed to forgive you?"

"Lily, I swear, it was an act of sorcery," he pleads. "I have a feeling that Riddle might've been there tonight, and he hoodwinked me. However, I have no one to blame but myself for falling for such a crafty ruse."

Lily's tears halt. "I believe you," she says, and James is relieved.

His relief, however, is short-lived.

"However, I have committed myself to death," she says.

James would've rather a boulder fall on him then hear those words leave her mouth. _"What?!"_

"When I thought you betrayed me, I was heartbroken," she explains. "I love you too much, but you had supposedly chose another woman over me, so I decided the pain was too much and I could not simply live knowing that fact."

James can't believe his ears. There is only one thing left to do, he decides.

"If you're going to die, I'm going to as well," he declares.

Lily's eyes widen. "No, don't take your life on my account!" she cries.

"It's not your account." He holds her eyes. "It's mine. I can't live without you. I love you too much, so my life is bound to yours. If you die, I die."

Lily looks down. "I suppose there's nothing I can do to change your mind?"

"Nope." He shakes his head resolutely.

"Fine, we'll jump from this bridge together."

* * *

Tom Riddle arrives at the bridge, only to spot two lifeless bodies floating down the river, and a group of swans glaring hatefully at him. He screams with frustration, but the bodies do not stir.

"Look what your actions caused," one of the swans says. "Your spell has been broken, but two lives have been lost. There are repercussions for your behavior."

And Tom is helpless as they close in on him. Another piteous wail sounds through the night.

* * *

 _2,267 words_

* * *

 **A/N: If you've read Swan Lake, you'll notice there are some sections in this fic that are not compliant with the play. I altered some of the original story to fit the characters better, like the part where they meet.**

 **(HOLY COW, this was a monster fic. I expected it to be a short drabble, but I got carried away.)**


End file.
